Projectile.



J. B. BECKER.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31. 1914. 1,146,780. Patented July 20, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PATEN Fro.

JOHN B. BECKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IPROJ'ECTILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1915.

' Application filed October 31, 1914. Serial No. 869,501.

provements in Projectiles, of which the folcapable of explosion at a point below the point of impact.

My invention is broadly a projectile comprising an impact head and an explosivecarrying chamber in engagement therewith,

and means for causing their disengagement upon impact of the projectile against a target, upon such disengagement the explosivecarrying chamber falling downwardly, and

means for exploding the explosive in the chamber after the disengagement at a point below the point of impact. The disengagement may be caused by any means, mechanical, explosive'or otherwise, and the explosion may be accomplished by any suitable method, the essential element of my invention being the explosion below the point of impact between the projectile and the target.

One object of my invention is a projectile capable of exerting its explosive force below the water line of a vessel, even if the projectile itself strikes the vessel above the water line.

Another object of my invention is a projectile which is capable of ejection from a gun, or other projecting medium, situated above the water, the explosive force of the projectile being exerted below the water line of a target against which it is impinged.

Another object of my invention is a projectile of great carrying radius, in that it may be fired much greater distances to produce a destructive result than the present known devices, thus possessing the valuable advantage of successful application without a near approach to the target.

Another object of my invention is a projectile in which the destructive power is not dependent upon the complete piercing of the armor of a vessel accompanied by an explosion of the projectile after it has passed into the vessel; but in which the destructive power is exerted near the bottom of the vessel, below the Water line, due to the impact positive in'operation, which may be propelled through the air for great distances, in which the destructive force of the explosion is not proportionate to the force of the impact and which causes an explosion below the water line of a target even if the projectile strikes the target above the water The sides of the modern battle-ship are so heavily armored that littledamage can be done them above the water line except by projectiles having enormous impact force sufficient to pierce them, the explosive effect being delayed until the projectile has passed through the hull into the interior of the ship, the simple rupture of the hull above the water line being usually of little serious effect. The most vulnerable part of a battle-ship is that portion below the water line, Where the armor is not so thick and resistant or where the ship is not protected and where a rupture is most dangerous on account of the resultant inflow of water. For this reason, sub-marine torpedoes have proven the most effective projectiles and have received wide application. Torpedoes of this character have, however, several serious objectionable characteristics, the chief one of which is the limited range at which they may be successfully launched, on account of the resistance of the water and the effect of currents; and the complicated machinery incident to self-propelling torpedoes renders them liable to become disordered and ineffective. The most successful present known method of using torpedoes is by means of sub-marine boats on account of the possibility of their near approach to a target without discovery but their radius of action is short, the number of torpedoes which they can carry is limited, and on acprojected through the air and may "be projected from any power or caliber gun, the length of range being limited only by the capacity of the gun. A much larger target is presented in their use, as it is not limited to the portion of the vessel under water as in the use of marine-torpedoes, thedestructive force of my device beingexerted under the water even if the projectile strikes the vessel above'the water. .Mydevice contains no propellers or-complicatedzmachinery, and

, .ontaccount of its simplicity of construction is not liableto become inoperative. My device is absolutely freefrom :any possibility of accidental explosion during its handling. Further, as -my projectile may be ejected :from gunssituated above the water line, as upon ships, :it is evident that a veryiconsiderable numbermay be carriedand that their radius of action from a base-is limited'only by the radius of action ofa-battle-ship that carries them.

These and 1 other features of my invention 1 which contribute :to the convenience, safety and efiiciency of my projectile are shown in the accompanying drawings whereinseveral desirable embodiments [of -my invention are illustrated and wherein the reference characters of-this description are appliedto like parts in the several views.

Figure ,1 'is a longitudinal cross-section ,of one form of my device. *Fig. 2 is acrosssection through the line 2-2 of "Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates the comparative "positions of the elements of Fig. 1 after impact againsta target. Fig. 4: illustrates the comparative positions of'the-elements of a modification-of my device after impactagainst a target.

In the form of my invention as illustrated in the drawings, the separation of the explosive carrying chamber from the head is .efiected by :the explosion of an explosive material, due to the impact of the projectile against a target. The head 9 is composed of a metallic csubstance.as steel, preferably solid, capable of piercing a target 'when impinged against it. The head 9 has a recess .10 around and near its rearward :end. A cap 1:1'fits tightly-around theihead 9 and within the recess 10 and extends outwardly plosive-carrying chamber 15 containing an explosive 16 which may :be inserted'through the opening shown closed by the threaded plug '17 in the rear wall 18. This rear wall l8 has an'o'ther opening 19, through which a fuse 20 is inserted, the fuse extending outwvardly from the chamber 15 and also inwardly therein, ending in a suitable fulminating cap packed and primed into the explosive 16. The compartment 21 between the rear wall 18 of the explosive-carrying chamber 15 and :the rear wall .12 of the cap 1-1c0ntains an explosive material capable of explosion by means of the percussion cap 14,

the explosive'16 withinthe chamber 15 be 'ing capable of-expilosioniby means of. a fullm inating cap upon the fuse 20. The percussioncap ;1l4:-is-so situated that it will be exploded by the impact of the projectile against aitarget". The recess'lO in the head 9 =is -of such a SlZGflHCl'ClIZHEICtGI that it will support-thecap 11, with its contents, during the proj cation, and flight of the projectilebut will allow of the separation of the head 9 and the cap 11, when the explosive ,in the compartment 21 is :exploded by the, action ofzthepercuss'ion cap 14, causinghan outward longitudinal pressure. :nose of the Fhead9 should be pointed to allow it to zpenetrategor pierce the target, and

The :forward end or it may carryaseries of circular recesses 21,

21, :the :object of which will be explained 7 later.

In operation, when the projectile, *formed vand loaded as described, is impinged against a 1targetv22, theconcussion will fire the percussion ca 14 ex lodin Lthe'ex losive in the compartment 21, driving thelcap 11 outwardly 1 or longitudinally from the recess :10 in the head 9 and allowing the explosive- -carrying =chamber 15 to drop downwardly.

At theisame time the explosion in the compartment 21 will ignite the fuse 20, which communicating .with the explosive 16 will explode the latter. It is evident that by use of a time fuse at 20, the explosion within the-chamber15 may'beregulated to occur at any predetermined time after the impact of the ,pro ectile againsta target. I The impact of the proj ectile against a target will hold it (momentarily in position in the target to :allow the chamber 15 to drop perpendicularly and this :m'omentary retention may be facilitated by using the recesses 21, 21 in the nose 'of :the head 9. It is :evident from the above description that when the pro jectile strikes aztarget astheside ofa vessel, above the water line, the explosive-carrying chamber 15 will drop downwardly beneath :the water and that a properly :timed fuse at 20 will cause an explosion within the cham-' ber when said chamber is'beneath or close to the bottomlof the vessel.

In the modification of my device shown in Fig. 1 the rearward :end of the head 9 contains a chamber 29 carryinga chain 30, oneend of Whichisaflixed to the head 91at 31, the other end being aflixed to the explosive-carrying chamber 15 at 32. It is evident that by means of this chain element the time fuse need not be so accurate as the chain will sustain the chamber 15 until it is exploded, in Fig. l the explosive-carrying chamber being shown as suspended beneath the water line 33.

I do not limit myself to the particular size, shape, arrangement of parts or means for releasing the explosive-carrying chamber, shown and described, all of which may be varied without going beyond the scope of my invention as described and claimed.

What is claimed, is:

1. A projectile comprising: a recessed head, a separate explosive-carrying chamber, means separable from the head and the explosive-carrying chamber for sustaining the said chamber in alinement with the head, a compartment so situated that a pressure therein will release the explosive-carrying chamber from the head allowing the chamber to fall downwardly, an explosive within said compartment, and means for exploding the explosive within said compartment releasing the explosive-carrying chamber from the head, allowing the said chamber to fall downwardly.

2. A projectile comprising a recessed head, a cap fitting in and sustained within the recess in the head, a separate explosivecarrying chamber within the cap, a compartment between the end of the explosivecarrying chamber and the end of the cap, an explosive within said compartment, means for exploding the explosive in said compartment, for releasing the cap and explosive-carrying chamber from the head due to said explosion.

3. A projectile comprising: a recessed head, a cap fitting in and sustained within the recess in the head, a separate explosivecarrying chamber within the cap, a compartment between the end of the explosivecarrying chamber and the end of the cap, an explosive within said compartment, means for exploding the explosive in said compartment for releasing the cap from the head and allowing the explosive-carrying chamber to fall downwardly, and means for suspending the explosive-carrying chamber a predetermined distance from the head.

4. A projectile comprising a head recessed at its rearward end, a cap sustained by its engagement within said recess and capable of separation therefrom by internal longitudinal pressure, a separate explosive-containing chamber within the cap abutting upon the rear of the head and forming a compartment between itself and the rear wall of the cap, an explosive within said compartment, means for exploding said explosive upon impact of the projectile against a target, said explosion releasing the cap from the head, and allowing the explosivecarrying chamber to drop downwardly free from the head and the cap.

5. A projectile comprising a head recessed at its rearward end, a cap sustained by its engagement within said recess and capable of separation therefrom by internal longitudinal pressure, a separate explosive-containing chamber within the cap abutting upon the rear of the head and forming a compartment between itself and the rear wall of the cap, an explosive within said compartment, a fuse connecting the explosive in the explosive-carrying chamber with the explosive in the compartment, means for exploding the explosive in the compartment upon impact of the projectile against a target, said explosion releasing the cap from the head, and allowing the explosive-carrying chamber to drop downwardly free from the head and the cap.

6. A projectile comprising a head recessed at its forward and rearward ends, a cap sustained by its engagement within the recess at the rearward end of the head and capable of separation therefrom by internal longitudinal pressure, a separate explosivecontaining chamber within the cap abutting upon the rear of the head and forming a compartment between itself and the rear wall of the cap, an explosive within said compartment, means for exploding said explosive upon impact of the projectile against a target, said explosion releasing the cap from the head, and allowing the explosive-carrying chamber to drop downwardly free from the head and the cap.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York, this 30th day of October, 1914.

JOHN B. BECKER.

Witnesses:

EDW. RANDOLPH WALTERS, LAURA E. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

